حارس بلدي My Guardian
by usually mostly innocent
Summary: "Don't you dare die for me, Alek Petrov!" Chloe ordered fiercely, dropping to her knees beside his crumpled body. 0o0o0  After Alek fought the head Jackal, his injuries were worse than they seemed.  Chloe/Alek
1. Nekh

**A/N: For those of you confused by my title, it says - very roughly - "my guard" in Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. Since the Mai are descended from an Egyptian goddess, I thought it would be a good idea to title my story in Ancient Egyptian. :) The chapter title is also Egyptian, though not hieroglyphics, obviously, and it means "defend."**

**That aside, I got the story idea because that fight between Alek and Kai's dad looked pretty intense, and somehow he got away with nothing but a few bloody scrapes on his face? I don't buy it. After all, it was dramatic enough that Chloe thought the jackal was killing him. **

**If Jasmine seems a little OOC, it's just because I was trying to show how much she cares about Alek. She's pretty much panicked, and I don't think she's ever been as freaked out in the show as she is here. She'll be more normal in later chapters, after this super-intense bit.**

**Before you dive in, you should know that I ship Chloe/Alek, so that's where the story will eventually go. And I'm guessing that it'll be somewhat AU after _Heartbreaker_ airs, since I'm not bringing Brian back just yet. I don't think. :P Oh, and I don't own _The Nine Lives Of Chloe King._ If I did, Chloe would have kissed Alek a long time ago, and Brian would already know about the Mai.**

**Reviews are love. :)**

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><p>"Don't you dare die for me, Alek Petrov!" Chloe ordered fiercely, dropping to her knees beside his crumpled body.<p>

"Paul! Call 911 now!" Amy shrieked.

"No, wait. We can't do that," Jasmine said quickly. She crouched by Alek's side and carefully cut off his shirt with a claw.

They all stared in horror. Even the ever-calm Jasmine froze, claw suspended in midair. Alek's stomach was distended and colored with an angry rainbow of greens, yellows, reds, and blues.

"Jas, he-he's probably got internal bleeding. He needs a hospital," Chloe whispered.

"But they'd have to do an x-ray!" Paul blurted.

Chloe stared blankly up at him. Her hand unconsciously smoothed back Alek's hair.

"They'd find out he isn't human, and then they'd dissect him or give him to Area 51 for testing or something."

"For once he's right," Jasmine added. She tore the remains of Alek's shirt into strips and wrapped his ribs, a few of which were obviously broken.

"But we can't c-carry him all the way back to your apartment li-like that!" Amy stuttered, gesturing toward the Mai's bruised and bloodied body. She clung to Paul's arm and her breath hitched in frightened sobs.

"I know." Jasmine's hands still worked rapidly, but everyone could see that the worst injury was inside, where she could do nothing. "Chloe, get his cell. It's in his left pocket and Mom's on speed dial."

Eyes locked on Alek's blood-streaked face, Chloe fumbled for the phone. Her hand shook as she held it to her ear. "Valentina?"

"Chloe! Where are you? Why didn't Alek—What happened?"

"It was a trap. We—the jackals—a-and Alek…. he's really h-hurt…." she felt a sob building in her throat and swallowed hard. _It's all my fault_, she thought dully. "He seemed fine for a while, he was even walking, but—he just collapsed…. w-we think he may have internal bleeding."

Valentina didn't ask for details. "Where are you?" she repeated.

"Umm … " Chloe took a breath and looked desperately around for a landmark. "We-we're near the wharf. Close to an abandoned warehouse." She had a sudden thought and added, "The jackals are gone. They won't be back." No way was she letting the Mai leader march in with an entire pride and get more people hurt.

"On my way. _Don't_ move him."

Chloe slipped the phone into her pocket. Her hands were still shaking. "You stupid idiot," she muttered under her breath, "if you don't wake up soon I swear I'll kill you myself."

Jasmine sat back on her heels, fists on her knees. "There's nothing else I can do," she admitted quietly. Her face looked like it had been carved in stone.

Amy burrowed deeper into Paul's side. He wrapped an arm around her waist. She sniffled softly; neither of them looked away from the injured Mai for a moment.

Chloe suddenly realized she was holding Alek's hand in both of hers. His chest struggled to rise and fall as his breathing grew fainter. She felt a wave of panic wash over her as she watched him fight for air. Instinctively, her super-hearing sought out his heartbeat. It still held steady. She blinked back tears, remembering the first time she'd heard it. Her grip on his hand tightened.

The four teens exchanged a worried look. Minutes felt like hours. They needed Valentina now.

"So…. Mai have some kind of super-healing power, right? He'll be okay after he just…." Paul trailed off when Jasmine turned to glare at him.

"No. One of the pride in San Fransisco is a doctor. Valentina will take Alek to him." Her voice was clipped and precise. Everyone heard the unspoken, "if she gets here in time."

"This is all my fault," Chloe mumbled, still keeping a death grip on Alek's hand. Her eyes blurred with tears.

"No, Chloe, it is not your fault." When she was this stressed out, Jasmine sounded just like her mother. Controlled and impassive. "Mom suspected a trap. She ordered Alek to text her once we were close to the jackal's den, but he didn't. She was going to send back-up. If he had just done as he was told, he would have been _fine_." She sounded harsher with each word.

Chloe knew the anger was directed at Alek, but she couldn't keep from cringing. A memory of his smile the previous night, just before he'd climbed out her window, flashed through her mind. Suddenly she understood. He hadn't come simply to understand. He'd come to decide if this friendship with a jackal was worth breaking her trust.

Jasmine was still stiffly ranting, but Chloe didn't hear her. She was too wrapped up in her thoughts.

Alek's decision could cost him his life.

The panic welled up again. She tried to tamp it down, but her control was slipping. All she could see was Alek's face. He was her guardian. If he didn't—if he—she wouldn't be able to live with herself.

A sudden snarl burst from the Mai crouched beside her. Instinct jerked Chloe to her feet, tearing her mind from worry and focusing her on the danger at hand. Her claws shot out; her eyes narrowed.

"Kai!" Amy gasped, eyes wide with disbelief. She and Paul exchanged a confused look.

For once, they weren't the only ones in the dark.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Jasmine spat. Her claws were still out.

The young jackal held up his hands, taking a careful step back. "Please, I…. I just want to help." His brown eyes were wide with sincerity.

"_Help_?" Jasmine's shriek, cat-like as it was, still reminded Chloe oddly of Amy. "_You_ did this to him! You and _your kind._" She stepped menacingly forward. Kai edged away again.

"I know," he replied, his earlier shame still lingering. "And that's why I've got to help now."

He sent a pleading look in Chloe's direction. She had sheathed her claws as soon as she was sane enough to recognize him. "Please," Kai said softly, "I promised you next time would be different."

Chloe hesitated. Jasmine saw it and stiffened. "Chloe. No. We can't trust him. Not with Alek's life."

_Alek's life_. So it really was that serious. She swallowed hard. Jasmine was right. As much as she wanted to trust Kai, as much as she really thought she could—she wouldn't gamble Alek's life. Her mouth twisted ruefully as she moved to Jasmine's side. "Kai…."

But then Alek's heartbeat stuttered.

Her head snapped around, and she was a bit stunned to realize she'd been listening to it all this time.

_Valentina still isn't here_, she thought numbly.

She changed what she'd been going to say. "What did you have in mind?"

"Chloe, please." Jasmine pleaded, control breaking down as she backed toward the injured Mai's body.

"Listen to his heart!" Chloe snapped. "Your mom still isn't here and we don't have time to be careful!" The look in Jasmine's eyes tore at her heart. "I care about him, too," she added softly, "but we've got to do something." She didn't wait for her to respond.

After a quick breath, Chloe turned to the guilt-ridden boy behind her. "Kai?"

"I don't know for sure if it'll work on a Mai, but I can—"

"Let me guess—_you_ guys are the ones with the super-healing powers, aren't you?" Paul interrupted eagerly.

"I wouldn't call it that exactly. We don't make everything better, but we do help speed up the healing. You know, like—"

"I knew it!"

"Paul!" Amy said fiercely. "_Shut_ _up_." He obediently closed his mouth, but still looked thrilled. "So, Kai," the little brunette continued sweetly, "you were saying?"

The boy seemed a little disconcerted by her sudden change of tone, but he cleared his throat and went on. "You know, like the way dogs lick themselves when they get hurt. Something in their, um, saliva, helps them heal quicker. The ability's just a bit amped up in us jackals."

"You are _not_ putting your _teeth_ anywhere near him." Jasmine snarled, raising her claws.

"Jasmine—" Chloe began, her gaze flickering anxiously between the Mai and the jackal.

Alek's heartbeat had wavered again. Jasmine heard it too this time, and the fury on her face melted to worry. Slowly, she sheathed her claws and stepped down.

"I wouldn't need to actually _lick_ him!" Kai clarified hurriedly. He shuddered, apparently disgusted by the thought. "I…. I could just spit in my hand and…." He awkwardly mimed a rubbing motion, carefully eyeing Jasmine in case of another explosion.

Alek's heart stopped.

Chloe stopped breathing.

_THUMP_. Thump-thump. _THUMP._

Relief washed over her, but her hands stayed curled into fists at her sides. "Just do it." She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, then stepped aside. "Do it now. But you've got to hurry. The Mai leader's on her way to get him. Believe me when I say you don't want her to find you here."

Kai nodded and hesitantly approached Alek's prone form. As his gaze flickered between Jasmine and Chloe, he looked more like a frightened deer (or a scared puppy) than a descendent of an ancient god.

The jackal knelt next to Alek and spat into his hands. Then, grimacing, he gingerly pressed his wet palm to the Mai's distorted stomach and rubbed the saliva over his skin.

Jasmine's long fingers shook with the effort to keep her claws sheathed. Chloe grabbed one of her hands and tried to smile reassuringly.

_THUMP. _Thump-th-thu-thump.

Silence.

His heart had stopped. Chloe felt cold.

Jasmine was frozen beside her. Amy and Paul stood as still as statues. Kai spat into his hands again and rubbed harder, beginning to look desperate.

No, Please, no—not wrong again—not about this. Not him.

_Please._


	2. Hayat

**A/N: *deep breath* Ok, I know this chapter took a ridiculously long time to get here, and I'm really very sorry. A lot of you have been asking me to continue, and I know how frustrating it is to wait months for a story you like. **I started this story right before I graduated, then traveled the country all summer and rushed straight off to my first semester of university away from home. So my life's been pretty crazy, which is why you're reading this in December instead of August. ****

*****counts the months on her fingers* Yeesh, that's a long time! I promise to never do that again. :)****

****Also, someone brought to my attention that the title is in Arabic, _not_ Egyptian hieroglyphics. *blushes* Sorry for the confusion. I did my research online - not the best source, I know - and the site said that's what it was. This chapter title means "life." I hope... :P****

**Now that I've found my feet at college, I'm gonna start updating at least every two weeks. ****Hopefully you're still interested... ************Remember - reviews are love! :)******

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><p><em>THUMP<em>. Thump-thump. _THUMP._

Alek's heart began to beat. Abruptly, Chloe realized that she couldn't stand up anymore. Her legs shook as she folded them under her and picked up Alek's hand again. The tenseness went out of Jasmine's shoulders, and she rapidly scrubbed tears from her cheeks. Chloe saw relief written all over her.

When Alek started to breath steadily, Kai sat back on his heels and wiped his hands on his jeans. "Well," he said, his mouth curling into a half-smile, "that was…. interesting."

Chloe looked at him for a moment, then laughed—not so much because what he'd said was funny, but because laughing felt very good after the intensity of the last twenty minutes. Then she leaned over and impulsively wrapped an arm around Kai. "Thank you," she said simply, beaming up at him.

Kai went slightly stiff under her arm, but he managed a grin. "Don't thank me," he said bluntly. "I would've killed him as soon as look at him if I hadn't met you. You taught me that not all Mai are, well…. evil. Thank _you, _Uniter_._"

"He's right, you know." Jasmine was shaking her head, a bemused expression on her face. "I'd never have believed"—she shot a glance at Kai—"that a jackal could be anything but my sworn enemy." And then, wonder of wonders, she smiled at him. He blinked in surprise, but tentatively smiled back, brown eyes warm. "It appears that the Mai have a lot to learn about you," she added, still looking at him.

"Likewise."

"O-_kay_, then," Amy inserted brightly. "This was fun, but I think we should be getting back." Her comment was greeted with blank stares. She waved her arms around, trying to jog their memory. "Hello? Anyone home? Guys, Valentina's still coming, and I don't think she's feeling as warm and fuzzy as you are right now. Meaning, we should leave. Like, _now_."

"I'm with her," Paul added emphatically, "I don't really wanna be here when your powerful pride leader finds out that someone disobeyed a direct command and nearly got killed. That's not the best time for me to make a good first impression, and I didn't even factor _him_ in," he finished, gesturing at the jackal.

Jasmine swallowed heavily. "Ummm…. "

"I'll just be going then," Kai said, his voice casual as he rose to his feet. Chloe thought wonderingly that she'd never seen him so unafraid.

Alek groaned and rolled his head on the pavement. His eyelids fluttered. "Chloe?" he grated, "Is Chloe all right?"

"I'm fine," she whispered. His first thought had been for her safety. "You really do worry about me too much," she added warmly. Something nice twisted deep in her belly.

His nose wrinkled as his eyes blinked open. "I smell jackal."

"It's okay, Alek. Really," Jasmine stared at Kai like he was a confusing puzzle she needed to solve. "The jackal—I mean, Kai—saved your life."

Kai looked incredibly awkward with the attention. He ducked his head, hiding his grin.

"Well, that's humiliating," Alek grumbled, "never thought I'd need to thank a jackal." He sent an appraising glance at Kai and sighed. "But it appears I owe you one," he admitted with a grimace. "Although if you were going to fix me up, I could really do without the pounding headache."

"You're welcome," Kai said dryly.

"Were none of you listening to me?" Amy injected, her voice sharp. "Or did you just not understand the words: '_Valentina_ _is_ _coming'_?"

"Oh, right!" Chloe gasped, jumping to her feet—and nearly falling back down, as she'd forgotten her grip on Alek's hand. The Mai in question cocked an eyebrow at her.

She glared, daring him to say a word as she dragged him to his feet. Then she dropped his hand like it'd burned her and turned to Kai. "I'd really rather you not die today, so you should probably get out of here," she told him.

He ducked his head again, but this time it was less a shy gesture and more a motion of respect. "I know. Thank you—again." He turned to go.

"Wait—" Jasmine sounded unsure. "Um, I …. hope we see you again." She licked her lips, as if the words tasted strange on her tongue. "It doesn't seem right for you to disappear as soon as we find out you aren't just—canine scum. There's still so much we don't know." The Mai tucked her dark hair behind an ear, glancing uncomfortably away.

Chloe thought she could visibly see Kai's confidence grow as Jasmine struggled for words. The Jackal hooked his hands in his pockets and grinned. "I'll see you around," he promised, looking at Jasmine while he said it. Then he turned and loped away.

Jasmine blinked, staring dazedly after him.

"Did I miss something?" Alec demanded. "Because I haven't seen you flirt for over a year—and you pick a Jackal to reignite your love life?"

"Flirting?" Jasmine shot him a warning look. "He. Saved. Your. Life. Are you saying we should _let_ him drop off the face of the earth? Even you admitted you owe him."

"'I hope we see you again'," Alek mocked, imitating her voice, "'there's still so much we don't know'." He rolled his eyes, smirking. "You were flirting."

Chloe smothered a laugh behind her hand and turned toward Amy and Paul. "And that's our cue," she said quickly, hooking her arm through Amy's. "Let's walk." Amy was giggling openly. Paul stared at the bickering Mai, looking typically clueless.

"Do all Mai flirt like that?" he asked Chloe in a whisper. "Because I'm not getting it." Amy rolled her eyes in a gesture so like Alek that Chloe almost died laughing.

"You don't need to worry about Mai flirting. I'm human—you're human. Let it go," Amy ordered dryly.

Alek's voice cut through the easy moment like a whip. "I hear Valentina. What do we do?"

Chloe dropped Amy's arm and turned back. "I-I'm not sure. Could we say that I was over-reacting?"

"That won't be enough. It won't—" his hand clenched around the phone in his pocket.

Jasmine cut her off. "I'll tell her that we'll explain later."

"And as much as I'd love to see this showdown, I'm gonna go now," Paul inserted. "For once, I don't think I want to get caught in the crossfire."

"That sounds surprisingly sane, Paul," Chloe told him approvingly, "and …. completely unlike you." She raised her eyebrows, but when he opened his mouth to explain, she shook her head. "Tell me later. Just go. And, guys, thanks for coming today. And not getting killed."

Amy smiled. "What are friends for? Now, Paul, come _on_." She tugged at his arm, and the two left.

"They shouldn't have come, you know," Alek told her once they were gone. "It was too dangerous."

Chloe sighed. "Now I know you're better," she said, shaking her head. "Already telling me what to do. Believe me, not even my stupid," she hesitated, then shook her head, "…._brave_ protector could've kept them away. I think Paul is living vicariously through me."

Jasmine chuckled, but the sound was strained. Chloe watched the Mai girl's nerves stretch tighter with every moment they waited for Valentina. "Do you want me here?" she asked softly. "Or would it be easier if I left, too?"

"You should leave," Alek said firmly, answering for her. Chloe frowned at him.

"Jasmine?"

"He's right. Mom's orders were a bit…. go on, Chloe. We'll see you later." Jasmine tried to smile and failed.

"O-okay," Chloe answered uncertainly. "If you're sure. I'll go catch up with Amy and Paul."

"Do you think you've had enough danger for one day?" Alek asked flippantly, "Maybe you could try not to lose another life on your way home. For once, make my job a little easier, would you?" Even though his voice was light and teasing, his eyes were serious.

Normally, Chloe would've been annoyed. But he'd almost died for her today. "I'll be fine," she said, trying to sound reassuring. She abruptly darted forward to hug Jasmine, and then ran to catch up with Paul and Amy.

Jasmine took a shaky breath. "You did the right thing," she whispered.

Alek looked steadily back at her. For once, he was silent.

"What happened? Why did you not—Alek!" Valentina leaped across the tracks and sped toward them, several Mai hunters at her back. When she reached them, she laid gentle hand on Alek's bloodied face. Her piercing eyes looked them up and down as she checked for additional injuries.

"We're fine." Jasmine said, her voice soft.

Valentina turned to glare at her. "Where are the jackals?" she asked sternly.

"Gone. They won't be back," Alek said firmly.

He could be a very good liar when he had to be.


End file.
